Flow cone for bin outlet



7 May 9, 1967 J. c. ANDERSON FLOW CONE FOR BIN OUTLET INVENTOR.

JOHN GA/VDERSO/V Filed Nov 4, 1965 Attorney H d E. 4 R

United States Patent 3,318,585 FLOW CONE FOR BIN OUTLET John C. Anderson, Welch, W. Va., assignor to United States Steel Corporation, a corporation of Delaware Filed Nov. 4, 1965, Ser. No. 506,373 1 Claim. (Cl. 259-180) This invention pertains especially to a structurfl modification of conventional multi-cell coal blending bins, for coking applications, to obtain uniformly free flow to permit coal withdrawal on a predetermined program, in order that predictable quality of blend may be secured.

In the usual bin construction there are several adjacent cells per bin, each cell being intended to contain coal of particular characteristics. These cells discharge into a single feeder at the bottom of the bin, and any arching, or other flow deficiency in any cell, throws the blend out of balance.

The present invention prevents arching and the like by means of a cone construction over the outlet, as will be more fully understood by reference to the drawing, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a plan View of a blending bin of the invention; and

FIGURE 2 is a cross sectional view in elevation, taken along the line IIII of FIGURE 1.

In FIGURE 1, bin 1, composed of cells 1a, 1b, 1c, and 1d is shown in a setting of bins 2 and 3, some twenty such bins going to make up a blending bin installation.

Bin 1 has outside walls 4 and partitions 5. Discharge opening 6 is located in the vicinity of the central juncture of partitions 5, in the essentially level floor 7.

Cone 8, supported by columns 9, is located at a spaced position above the discharge opening, in an umbrella-like fashion.

The partitions are shown with openings to accommo- Patented May 9, 1967 date the cone, with sloping edges 5a, adjacent to the cone and vertical edges 5b extending downwardly from the bottom edge of the cone.

In a four cell bin, about 22 feet on a side, and having a 3 foot square discharge opening, a cone with about a slope and 12 foot diameter at the base, mounted about 10 feet above the bin floor and discharge opening, is advantageous.

In general, the cone will be several times the diameter of the discharge opening, and will be positioned at a height approximating its diameter.

The foregoing specific example is intended as a guide to facilitate ready practice of the invention, and not as a limitation thereof.

I claim:

A coal blending bin comprising walls, floor, and partitions, said partitions intersecting at a common point to form a plurality of cells in conjunction with said walls and floor, a common discharge opening in said floor for all cells, a cone supported above said opening, said cone being several times larger than said opening and supported at a height about the cone diameter above said opening, said partitions, in the vicinity of their intersection having a downwardly sloping inner edge conforming generally to the slope of the cone and a vertical inner edge extending downwardly to the floor from the cone edge.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS FOREIGN PATENTS 502,663 12/1954 Italy.

WILLIAM I. PRICE, Examiner. 

